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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29122041">Happy Birthday, Mr. Fire Lord</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/onewomanshow/pseuds/onewomanshow'>onewomanshow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>By Kismet or Happenstance [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Love Those Crazy Kids, Romance, So Soft &amp; Sweet, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, so so soft, they're adorable</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:26:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,706</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29122041</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/onewomanshow/pseuds/onewomanshow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Zuko birthday and Katara has a special gift for him.</p><p>Or: In which Katara just wants him to know that he's loved.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katara &amp; Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>By Kismet or Happenstance [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1764538</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>71</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Happy Birthday, Mr. Fire Lord</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Yes, the title is a play on "Happy Birthday, Mr. President."</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Katara fiddled with the wooden case she hidden in the nightstand on her side, which really wasn’t her side because they often woke up to find themselves snuggled together in the middle, of Zuko’s bed. After all, his bed was abnormally large, a characteristic she often pointed out only for him to tell her she’ll appreciate it later. </p><p>It was his birthday and although he insisted that he didn’t want a celebration, she managed to get all their friends together for a small, fairly intimate gathering, and now she was waiting for him to get out of the shower to present him with his gift.</p><p>Zuko was a very difficult person to shop for. After all, what do you buy a man who has a plethora of resources and wealth at his disposal? He could have anything he wanted at the drop of a dime. But after extensive research, which was also nearly impossible – the Fire Lord’s birthday had always been a holiday in the Fire Nation but now that he has gotten rid of that law and banned the National Anthem that professed undying loyalty to him, no one knew what to do to celebrate his special day anymore, she finally managed to come up with the perfect gift.</p><p>“You’re hiding something.” Zuko’s voice brought her out of her trance.</p><p>She looked up at him, a sly smile on her face. “How’d you know?”</p><p>“Katara, you’re my fianceé.” He grinned. It still amazed him to be able to say that. Whenever people addressed her as “Princess” instead of “Ambassador” or “Master” Katara when they were out together in public, it made his heart skip a beat.</p><p>This beautiful, headstrong, and smart waterbender was going to be his wife, his Fire Lady. She had her own fair share of potential suitors – it was well known that she was considered one of the most beautiful and powerful women in the world, and yet, out of all of them, she chose him. She didn’t agree to marry him out of a political arrangement, but because she <em>wanted</em> to. That amazed him and made him want to throw up from happiness because it twisted his stomach up in knots which was a feeling he didn’t quite understand – but Katara seemed to have that effect on him often so he just went with it.</p><p>“I can always tell when something is up with you, good or bad.”</p><p>“Hmm.” She hummed. “You always have been good at that.”</p><p>“Even when I was an awkward turtleduck?” He questioned sheepishly.</p><p>At this, she laughed. “You still are, love.”</p><p>“Hey, I’ve gotten better, if I do say so myself.” He crosses the room and leans over the bed, placing a kiss on her cheek. “I courted you, didn’t I?”</p><p>She rolled her eyes, but the blush creeping up on her cheeks was apparent. “Only because I made the first move. If I never got drunk and told you I loved you, we’d probably still be doing the Dancing Dragon around our feelings for each other.”</p><p>Zuko grins. “Well, I’ll be sure to thank the Sun God for the creation of Fire Whiskey tomorrow.” He pulls away then and busies himself getting ready for bed. As much as he loved watched her night routine, she also loved watching his.</p><p>It was so simple– not nearly as intricate as his morning routine, although he did opt for more a casual variation of the Royal Regalia than what was traditional for Fire Lords and yet, it enticed her every time. Her favorite part had to be watching his hair cascade down his shoulders after he took it out of its topknot. He was starting to let it grow out after being apprehensive because he didn’t want to look too much like Ozai so she took extra consideration to show him how much she loved it by playing in it.</p><p>After he was done, he turned to face her once more. “And thank you for my birthday party even though I said I didn’t want one.” He paused, shaking his head. “Are you ever going to listen to me?”</p><p>She placed a finger on her chin as if she were mulling it over. “Hm. Probably not. At least not when it comes to showing you how loved you are. You deserve it, Zuko. Even if you don’t always feel like you do.” She spoke softly.</p><p>Even years later, he struggled with being a part of a social circle that wasn’t being nice to him just because of his status and being showered with affection from his friends and family. It took him months before he stopped tensing up whenever one of them hugged him.</p><p>“You always know what to say whenever I start doubting myself.” He looked at her dreamily as he climbed into the bed next to her.</p><p>“Isn’t that why you’re marrying me?”</p><p>“One of the reasons, yes, but not the main one. I’m marrying you because I love you and there’s no one else I want to spend the rest of my life with. Besides, the Fire Sages are making me get married anyway, might as well pick someone I actually like and enjoy being around.” He teased.</p><p>Katara rolled her eyes. “And just for a minute there, I thought you were being sincere. See, you have more in common with Azula than you think.” She patted his cheek softly.</p><p>He scoffed. “Please, she would gag if she heard what I just said. She thinks I’m too lovey-dovey as if I came right out of one of Ty Lee’s romance scrolls. Now…” He averts his gaze to the wooden case she was playing around with earlier. “What are you hiding?”</p><p>She takes a deep breath. “Well, I know you said you didn’t want anything. But I couldn’t help myself. Here. Open it.”</p><p>He sighed. “Again, you don’t listen very well.” But he took the package and opened it anyway.</p><p>There inside the case was a shiny, black Obsidian dagger with a red tugtupite handle. Engraved in handwriting that looked exactly like Katara’s was “<em>I don’t mind being burned by the sun as long as I’m with you</em>.”</p><p>Zuko swallowed thickly. His throat suddenly felt incredibly dry as he tried to find the words to say. “I…I don’t even know what to say. Katara, this is…how did you get this? Obsidian rock is cooled lava. It can only be found in volcanoes.”</p><p>Katara smirked. “We <em>do</em> live in Caldera City, honey. The entire capital is nestled in a dormant volcano crater.” She deadpanned. </p><p>He rolled his eyes. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”</p><p>She giggled. “Well, when you're friends with the Avatar, anything is possible. He did some heat redirection and got it for me. I would’ve carved it myself but that is <em>not </em>my strong suit, so I asked Sokka and Toph to help with that part. That’s what the three of us were working on behind your back, by the way.” She paused. “I know it’s not the one your Uncle gave you, that you later gave to Lee…but I couldn’t think of anything else and well, you do like playing with knives…” Her cheeks tinged pink, knowing how much Azula always teased him for his aficionado for knives when he was younger. No wonder him and Mai got along so well.</p><p>Zuko smiled softly and she noticed his cheeks were wet. He was crying. “Are you okay?” She questioned, worry evident in her voice. “Did I do something wrong?”</p><p>He reached out and grabbed her hand, clutching it in his tightly. He shook his head, shaggy hair framing his face. “I stopped celebrating my birthday a long time ago.” He spoke solemnly. “It was nothing but bad memories for me, you know. After getting told I was lucky to be born so many times, knowing that my father hated and regretted my existence, it wasn’t exactly something I looked forward to.”</p><p>Katara squeezed his hand in reassurance. “But you show me every day that I have a purpose and deserve to be here. You didn’t need to get me a gift when you’ve already given me that.”</p><p>"I wanted to though. And before you say you already have a bunch of nice things or more than what you need, you are my fiancé, and you deserve something special." She released his hand and used the pads of her thumbs to brush the tears that were on his cheeks. "I love you."</p><p>When they first got together as boyfriend and girlfriend, they exchanged 'I love yous' often because it was new and exciting, but now that they were due to walk down the aisle in less than a year, it was something they spent less time saying, and more time showing each other.</p><p>'You woke me up when you left this morning' meant I love you.</p><p>'Can you make nonspicy versions of the food for her?' meant I love you. </p><p>'Zuko, we're going to the South Pole, I know you can warm yourself up, but please don't forget to pack your parka' meant I love you. </p><p>'Be safe' meant I love you.</p><p>'I saw these flowers in the garden and picked them for you' meant I love you.</p><p>'I know you like moon peaches, so I got you some at the market' meant I love you. </p><p>It didn't need to be said as often anymore because every single thing they did screamed it.</p><p>He turns to look at her, a silly smile on his face. “I love you too. Your presence is a gift.”</p><p>“While I appreciate that…” She smirks, then leans in closer to him, her breath ghosting over his lips. “I guess you don’t want your other present then, huh?”</p><p>His head quirks to the side. “What do you mean?”</p><p>She curls her finger at him and teasingly tugs on the ties hiding her robe in her place. “Oh, just a little something I had custom made…but you have to unwrap it first.”</p><p>Zuko felt the blood rush to another part of his body and growled. He tackled her to the bed, and she laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Happy Birthday, Fire Lord.”</p><p></p><div class="ms-editor-squiggler">
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